Chapter 2

"Yeah." To Isabel's surprise, I agreed.

Her breathing quickened for a couple of seconds on the other end of the line before Isabel gave an angry laugh. "Fine, Robert. You've got some nerve."

I couldn't be bothered to say anything else, so I hung up.

Elsa Chase, the housekeeper, was already packing my things for me.

"Sir, are you sure you don't want any of these?" Standing in the walk-in closet, she looked at the wall of custom suits and watches. Isabel had bought them specifically for me to wear to formal events.

She had said, "Robert, I don't care what you were like before. But now that you've married into the Wilson family, you need to cover up that poor, shabby look of yours. Don't embarrass me."

I shook my head, my voice light. "I don't want any of the designer clothes or formalwear. Just pack whatever else belongs to me."

Elsa looked uncomfortable. "Sir... other than these, there doesn't seem to be much for you to pack."

I froze for a moment, then couldn't help laughing.

She was right. In the seven years since I'd married into Isabel's family, there had never been much that truly belonged to me. In that enormous house, the only space I could really call mine was half the bed in our bedroom.

Isabel didn't come home that night, and I slept well.

The next morning, I picked up my packed luggage and prepared to leave.

I left nothing behind except a snow globe. It was the only gift Isabel had ever given me, from the time we started dating all the way through our marriage.

I'd just moved to Ashford for college when Isabel and I fell in love at first sight.

Back then, she was straightforward and passionate. Every day, she'd wait along the route I took back to campus just so she could talk to me for a few minutes.

She'd given me the snow globe around that time. She told me it was the first time she'd ever bought something without using her family's money, and that she'd worked a part-time job for three days to afford it.

She said the snow inside the globe would never melt, and neither would her love for me.

Well, I didn't want her love anymore.

After leaving the Wilson house, I checked into a hotel.

Less than a day later, Isabel called. "Robert, where the hell did you go? Get back here and clean up your junk!"

I replied calmly, "I don't want it anymore. Just throw it away."

Isabel went silent, then asked me again, "Robert, are you serious?"

"Yeah." My voice was light. I genuinely didn't care anymore. "Throw it out. It's not important anyway."

That seemed to hit a nerve. "Not important? Don't you remember that I—"

I scoffed and cut her off, "That you worked for three days to earn the money for it? That snow globe retailed for sixty-five dollars. Ms. Wilson, what kind of part-time job pays that little for three days of work?"

I'd learned the truth one night after we were married, when Isabel got drunk.

She had said, "I picked up some random snow globe and fooled you with it. Robert, you're ridiculously gullible. And cheap."

That was when I realized Isabel hadn't changed. She'd simply stopped bothering to pretend.

After hanging up, I went to the law firm where I'd made an appointment.

After hearing about my situation, Michelle Faulkner, the attorney, looked troubled.

“Mr. Carroll, I'm sure you understand that with the Wilson family's influence, getting out of this marriage without a fight would be nearly impossible.”

Of course, I knew that. That was why I was willing to give up everything I was entitled to.

"What if I don't ask for any assets? I can walk away with nothing."

Michelle's expression eased somewhat, though she still hesitated. "Does Ms. Wilson want a divorce too?"

I shook my head, my face going pale.

This wasn't the first time I'd tried to leave Isabel.

The first time I'd asked for a divorce was five years ago. Isabel hadn't said a word. She'd simply kept me confined to the house for an entire month.